Pushing a rope

There is an old saying that I have heard to describe something that is tough. People say it is like pushing a rope. It is kind of a funny picture. It is particularly funny because I have tried it.

I notice at those rope pushing times that I might do better to listen to the obvious - you can't push a rope. But our world says 'try harder', and so I do.

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we were to trust the timing of things. Those times when it feels like we are pushing a rope might just be times to trust that we should do something else for awhile. Because pushing that rope just plain goes against the laws of the universe. Yet I have to admit that to surrender my agenda and stop pushing something that isn't moving anyway takes a trust in the goodness of God that I find challenging at times. But almost always, listening to the obvious is best.

So I guess we are all gonna do better to pull the rope when it moves, and when it doesn't, let go, and let God move the thing.